This is a sponsored feature. All opinions are 100% from Her Campus.
Â
As many of you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is a time to honor those who have fought their battle with cancer and celebrate those still fighting. The latest research uncovers certain things that most people may not know about the disease. Here are 14 little known facts about breast cancer.
Â
1. Family History
Over 85 percent of women diagnosed do not have any genetic history of breast cancer. Many women ignore their risk due to family members not having the disease. Let it be known: never skip a mammogram or breast exam simply because you have no family history of breast cancer.
Â
2. Statistics
The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2015, there will be about 231,480 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in women, and about 40,290 women will die from breast cancer. However, there are about 2.8 million breast cancer survivors, and stages one and two of breast cancer have a 100 percent 5-year survival rate.
Â
3. Exercise
People who exercise regularly are at a lower risk of having breast cancer. A new study from the University of South Carolina suggests that women with higher fitness levels have a 55 percent lower chance of dying from breast cancer than those who do not exercise as frequently.
Â
4. Lumps
When people hear about finding lumps in their breast, most automatically assume the worst. But according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, eight out of ten breast lumps are benign, meaning they are not cancerous. If you find a lump in your breast, it is best to see a provider. Although it may not be harmful, it’s important to get it checked out, just in case.
Â
5. Other Factors
Most people know the more obvious factors related to breast cancer, but many lesser known factors can also contribute to a person’s risk. Women who started menstruating early and/or went through menopause later have a slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer. This may be due to a longer exposure to both estrogen and progesterone. Race can also play a part in breast cancer risks. The American Cancer Society explains that white women have a slightly higher chance of developing breast cancer over African-American women. However, African-American women that are diagnosed with breast cancer are more likely to die from it.
Â
6. Men and Breast Cancer
The American Cancer Society estimates that around 2,350 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, and 440 of them will die from the cancer. Although it’s rare, it’s not impossible. Aging, gene mutations, family history and heavy alcohol use can all increase the risk of men developing breast cancer.
Â
7. Friends Help to Fight Cancer
A recent study from the University of Chicago shows that lonely women may be at a greater risk for breast cancer. This may be due to the stress and anxiety that comes from isolation, which can increase the growth of breast tumors. An active social life is good for you both mentally and physically.
Â
8. Breast Pain
Pain is not a common breast cancer symptom. Many things can cause breast pain, such as a change in hormone levels. This why yearly breast examinations along with self-examinations are important, since pain may not be an issue when someone is developing breast cancer.
Â
9. Overarching Fear
For most women, no disease seems more prevalent than breast cancer. However, heart disease is actually the number one killer of women in the United States. It kills more women aged 65 years or older more than every type of cancer combined. Women are four to six more times more likely to die of heart disease than breast cancer. Both are important, but living an overall healthy lifestyle will decrease your risk overall.
Â
10. Mammograms
Studies have concluded that if every woman aged 50 or older had her yearly mammogram, breast cancer deaths in this age group would decrease by at least 25 percent.
Â
11. Different Types
Breast cancer has more than one type, and each type must be treated differently. The main types include: estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer, fueled by estrogen; HER-2-positive breast cancers that have a protein called HER-2/neu; and triple-negative breast cancers, that do not have receptors for estrogen, progesterone or HER-2.
Â
12. Chemotherapy
Doctors are becoming more selective with chemotherapy use. Doctors compose a genetic profile for each tumor to get a sense of the risk each woman has for the cancer to re-occur. If the chances are low, then chemotherapy may not be used. Doctors try to avoid giving women unnecessary toxins and suffering.
Â
13. Fish Oil
By taking a daily fish oil supplement, women may reduce their risk for breast cancer by 32 percent. Researchers in Seattle published a study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention that explains how the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil may help fight breast cancer. Foods such as salmon, tuna, flaxseeds and nuts can provide these omega-3’s as well.
Â
14. Actual Risk
People often hear that all women have a one-in-eight chance of getting breast cancer. This is actually misleading, due to the fact that breast cancer risk depends on multiple factors such as age, weight and ethnicity. Risk does increase when you’re older, which is why most breast cancer cases are found in women in their 50’s and 60’s.
Â
Sources: